Recently, VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) attract attention as a group of causative substances of so-called sick house syndrome which causes health damages such as an allergic symptom, a headache, and/or dizziness. It has been confirmed that a VOC is emitted from image forming apparatuses such as copying machines and printers, personal computers, and the like. In addition to the VOCs, the image forming apparatuses also has a problem of a peculiar odor generated from a heated sheet of recording paper (recording material) and heated toner. In the case of the image forming apparatuses, a VOC and an odor are emitted from a fixing device for fixing a toner image onto a sheet of recording paper.
The image forming apparatuses are indispensable office automation equipment, and installed at most offices. Furthermore, the image forming apparatuses are becoming pervasive also at homes and hospitals. Therefore, many users suffer discomfort due to an exhaust gas which contains volatile chemical substances (chemical emissions) such as a VOC and an odor and which is discharged from the image forming apparatuses.
In view of this, for example, Patent Literature 1 discloses the following art. A blower fan, a negative ion generating section, a positively-charged filter, etc. are provided inside an image forming apparatus. Toner powder and dust generated inside the image forming apparatus are negatively charged so that they are adsorbed to the positively-charged filter, thereby reducing such harmful substances to be discharged outside the image forming apparatus. In addition, dust, mold, etc. which are about to externally intrude into the image forming apparatus are negatively charged so as to be also adsorbed to the positively-charged filter, thereby suppressing intrusion of such harmful substances from outside the image forming apparatus.
In Patent Literature 2, the applicant of the present application has proposed electronic devices such as personal computers, copying machines, and printers in each of which an ion generating section for removing chemical emissions such as a VOC and an odor from an atmosphere is provided so that emission of the chemical emissions is suppressed. As for the electronic devices, the applicant has also proposed an arrangement in which adhesion of dust etc. to the ion generating section is suppressed by providing a filter at an upstream of the ion generating section in a ventilation direction.
On the other hand, air purifiers for purifying an indoor air are becoming pervasive at offices, homes, hospitals, etc.
For example, an art of Patent Literature 3 makes it possible to effectively remove floating bacteria in the air by using positive ions and negative ions which are generated at a time.
Citation List
Patent Literature 1
Japanese Patent Application Publication (Tokukai, No. 2005-004144 A (Publication Date: Jan. 6, 2005))
Patent Literature 2
Japanese Patent Application Publication (Tokukai, No. 2008-251514 A (Publication Date: Oct. 16, 2008))
Patent Literature 3
Japanese Patent Application Publication (Tokukai, No. 2002-58731 A (Publication Date: Feb. 26, 2002))